


There is no right nor wrong

by Kedamono_no_kao_wa



Category: Layton Kyouju Series | Professor Layton Series
Genre: Almost Kiss, Consensual underage stuff, I guess Luke likes to sit in laps, I'm Sorry, Ice Cream, Implied pedophilia, In the middle of the night even tho someones sleeping in the next room, Layton is a mess, M/M, Nothing is in cronological order, One Shot, Please dont kill me, Straight up kiss, Train Rides, Unhealthy Relationships, handjob, how rude, kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:41:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23642500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kedamono_no_kao_wa/pseuds/Kedamono_no_kao_wa
Summary: One-shots of Layluke because I cant write full stories.
Relationships: Hershel Layton/Luke Triton
Comments: 21
Kudos: 19





	1. Different tastes, more or less sweet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Layton and Luke are enjoying ice cream on a quite beautiful sunny afternoon, but soon the mood gets a bit shifted to the worse, due to Luke's interest in the complexity of an adults mind, and him not understanding it.

He was sitting on a white cafe chair with a thin wire back, swinging his delicate legs back and forth, while waiting for his professor to come back with the order he just cheerfully made. Hazelnut, chocolate and strawberry topped with a heavy crown of whipped cream. His favourite. He loved sweets of all kinds, but ice cream had found a special place in his heart, especially the one they served in that little, cozy cafe just down the street of their flat. He not only loved the desserts and other various foods they had to offer, but the view of this part of the city was something to enjoy too. All kinds of different people wandered down this pavement, stopping when they'd find something of interest in the colourful store windows, ringing on house doors to pay their acquaintances a visit or simply enjoying the warm rays of the sun shining down on the city, being grateful for the peaceful atmosphere this district held. He liked to observe the people here, too, wondering what their backstory was, questioning if they were as jolly as they seemed to be. Humans barely showed what they're truly thinking, being held back by etiquette and manners, even though those rules often seem to suffocate them and tuning their voices down. Why were adults so stiff and narrow minded and reserved?

A soft clang of glass sundaes being set down onto the round table in front of him interrupted his train of thoughts."Here you go, my boy", the professor said in his usual calm voice, perching down in the chair opposite to him. "Thanks, professah!", Luke chirped happily, not wanting to wait a second more and scooping up a big bite of ice cream with his spoon. He felt the sweet and cold sting of cacao and the tasty dark crumbs of chocolate in his mouth, accompanied by the feeling of the slick whipped cream coating his tounge in a pleasant way. The professor only chuckled ever so lightly to himself, watching his apprentice devouring the frozen treat like he hasn't eaten anything for weeks. The cafe and street were filled with chit chats and occasional laughter, everything blurring together to an inaudible yet placid background noise. Every now and then a little pigeon waddled to Luke's feet, asking for food, bread or any kind of pastry, but Luke had to explain that unfortunately, he hadn't had anything for it.

After eating a while in silence, the boy decided that he wanted to chatter a bit with his professor, the smartest man he'd ever known and admired so much. "Why do the adults never talk about what's on their mind, professah?" Said man was caught off guard, having finished his much smaller ice cream earlier, thus turning his head to gaze mindless into the crowds of humans, and was now facing Luke with a puzzled expression. "Pardon?", he bubbled, unsure where this query came from. Luke had now reached the fruity strawberry part. Pink, dotted with small bright red berry pieces, quite sugary. "Well", he started, but quickly shoved a spoonful in his mouth, so that his words came out more muddled," I've seen so many grown ups acting so strange when a question is asked which is not on the daily schedule. Or at least I haven't heard them often". He jabbered, digging in his sundae for the remains of the whipped cream. "They get all rigid and uncomfortable, and they act like they're trying to hide their thoughts. But why are they doing that? I thought adults were so smart that theres no use in hiding what's obvious, right?" He looked at Layton with big eyes, pulling the table wear out his mouth with a wet plop. The professor was perplexed for a moment, Luke could clearly see the gears behind his forehead working, before setting on one thought:" Tell me, my boy, what kind of enquiries were those, and where did you pick them up?" Luke pondered for a moment. "Mostly the news aaand…", he glanced up at the beige sun lit canopy above their heads, trying to remember where he heard such things. "Those shows where they talk about criminals and other stuff, I think". Looking back down he took another bite. "I can't quite remember what they said exactly, but I remember it being things like: 'Are you aware of the effects it will have on others? Do you regret what you did? Do you want to change in the future?' And most of them, they just agree. They say everything what's expected from them", he said, muttering a 'like they are trained parrots or something' before turning his attention to the half eaten dessert. Layton needed time to process the fact that this 12 year old boy was watching such quite explicit shows that normally only air after midnight. He can't remember letting him watch that while being under his care, let alone staying up so late. Did Clark not take care of his son? Before he could even open his mouth, Luke spoke again: "Why are they so afraid of speaking their mind? Why won't people listen to them?" A silent pause, that was more uncomfortable than anyone would like to admit. "Well, I suppose those questions were rather of the unpleasant kind, addressing more socially less accepted topics. And presuming those people where engaged in such things, they of course are in quite dangerous positions and need to choose their words wisely." A soft summer breeze twirled dry leaves over the stone pavement and softly caressed the collar of the professor's coat along with the bit of chocolate coloured hair sticking out beneath the iconic top hat. "Under those circumstances, they have no other choice but to obey, even if it means that they will never truly speak their minds", he said, his gaze wandering off into the distance, just past Luke. A sort of dejected expression patterned his face, eyes almost squeezed shut, brows furrowed, "and even if it means they have to oppress their true selves. Because as long as it could injure others in any way, it's the duty of every gentleman to keep the harm at bay."

Luke sat silently there, just a bit of his ice left. Hazelnut. Not as rich as chocolate, not as bright as strawberry. It was so mellow and comforting, perfectly balanced between the creamy sugariness and the natural, mild taste of hazelnuts, almost pale compared to the others. Both of them were occupied with their own thoughts running from left to right. The world is a complex and bizarre place. Layton started to worry and felt the need to apologise for overwhelming the boy, but Luke was again faster:"So, it's ok if they hurt themselves as long as they don't hurt others?", he asked in his careful, tiny voice. Layton wanted to disagree, tell him otherwise, but no. The boy was right. Those who had such heavy burdens to carry needed to bear them with them all their lives, not able to pull anyone into this misery and so lifting a bit of weight from their shoulders. What onus they had to lug, being their own or others fault, was alone their responsibility. In this point, they had no choice. Layton looked back at the boy, who stared at him with the intensity of a child who couldn't wait to hear the end of a thrilling, yet depressing story:"That's correct, Luke..." He had no choice and his ice cream was gone.


	2. Damned be the Capricorn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Layton and Luke ride the train at night, but Luke is starstruck by the star constellations and wants Layton to tell him a bit about them. Unfortunately, they come a little close.
> 
> (Dead dove, do not eat, you know the drill)

The night was dark and hollow and the only companions the silvery moon was accompanied by were the few bright speckles, twinkling at the endless black firmament. Together they shone pale light onto the thick woodland which stretched beneath them, giving it a white, almost ghostly glimmer. It felt like the only thing alive was the lonely train that made it's way through the landscape of forests, wide meadows and hills, filling the silence with rhythmic chuffs and occasionally a high and loud train whistle, echoing shortly after trough the endless night.

The air was fresh but also cold. It stang when Luke breathed in too much.  
He stood in the narrow hallway of the train, having opened a window and peeking out of it to savour the crisp draught passing him, smelling faintly like pine trees and like smoke.  
He loved the somber midnight, the gloomy atmosphere, the infinite sky. Even though he was a bit scared of the dark, he also felt so safe within it. 'How stupid', he thought. It made no sense to him, loving and despising the same thing. Either this or that, there's no in between. There isn't, there can't be.

After a while standing on his toes gazing out of the window, a shiver ran down his spine. His fingers felt stiff and were almost frozen to the wooden frames, the tips of his ears burned and his nose and cheeks turned pink. He was freezing to the bones.  
Shoving the window glass shut, he decided to tip toe down the corridor to their cabin with delicate little steps, hoping the creaking of the floor wouldn't wake anyone up. Was the professor already asleep? Luke was quite a long time outside, the professor surely must have gotten bored quickly without him.  
Finally standing in front of their compartment he could see thin golden light escaping through the gap between the carpet and the door. He wasn't asleep.

The door made a soft squeal, announcing Luke's entry as he stepped inside.  
The professor was slouching on his side of the seats that were facing each other. Soft, unexpectedly cushy material with a nice olive colour and a small brown check pattern seemed to offer a quite comfortable replacement for a bed, that even the professor forgot his gentleman manners and was half laying there, his head resting on his right arm, which again, was resting on the sort of windowsill. His other hand held a book, an archeology book Luke guessed, judging by the title 'Ancient Scandinavia', which he read in the dim light, emitted by a victorian styled lamp just above his hatless head. "Back from your nocturnal tour I suppose?", Layton asked in an amused voice, but without mockery in it. He didn't bother to look at Luke, rather having his gaze fixed on what he was reading.  
The boy closed the door behind him:" Well, it was less of a tour, more of a… a sightseeing of star constellations."  
Luke tottered to his empty seat, needing to climb on it a little. It's not like he was small or anything, the seats were simply made for giants.  
"Is that so?", Layton asked low, turning to the next page, eyes still on his book.  
Even if he didn't pay him a look, Luke sure felt a certain bubbly warmth building in his stomach, going up and spreading across his cheeks whenever the professor showed interest in what he was doing or thinking. He felt so special and important, being, even if it's just for a short moment, the center of the professor's mind.  
"Of course! Stars alone are so interesting, but the fact that every constellation has it's own meaning and use is so fascinating for me!"  
Luke was bouncing his legs back and forth a bit, a coy smile crossing his face, while he stared timidly at the fingers in his lap:" Could you… could you tell me a bit about them? The legends and myths I mean."  
Layton didn't answer.  
Oh God, has he said something wrong? He didn't affront the professor by assuming he knows something about stupid fairy tales, did he?  
"Oh, I-I'm sorry, professah! I didn't want to insult you, I should have known better, I'm a big boy after all-","No, no, don't worry, that's not it", Layton disrupted his apologies, not wanting the boy to stress himself even more. He was now sitting up straight and glancing at his apprentice:" I solely assumed that you were not interested in such."  
They both fell silent.  
The train jolted lightly in his soothing rhythm and outside the draft, tall, dark trees were passing them at a rapid speed.  
It was Luke's soft mutter that broke their quiet:"I… Could you please tell me a bit… about the stars… Professah?"  
Layton hesitantly put down his open book on the little table that was attached to the wall directly under the window and slightly stroked his chin.  
"Well, where should I begin...You, ah, you've ever heard the story of The Capricorn, The Sea Goat?" Layton smiled at him.  
Luke shook his head, eyes big and locked onto his professor, a beaming grin spreading across his face.  
The older man cleared his throat before he spoke again:" The Capricorn is one of the earliest constellations and has passed through the ages  
virtually unchanged, depicting the front half of a  
goat and the tail of a fish. It is also referred to in  
Greek and Roman mythology as the 'Gateway  
of the Gods' through which the souls of men  
released at death would pass to the life hereafter."  
Luke couldn't stop himself from staring at the professor's hand movements, from an upwards pointing finger to an open layed hand. So elegantly and swiftly, it was unfair how beautiful a middle aged man's hands could be. He was starting to fidget in his seat.  
"According to ancient Greek legends, Cronus was told by the oracle that one day one of his sons  
would grow up to be stronger than he and would  
eventually kill him in battle. In order to keep this from happening, Cronus had every baby boy born  
to him as a son killed. Some legends say he would swallow them when they were born."  
The boy pulled his legs up and hid his face behind his knees, arms firmly grasping them: "How terrifying! I could never imagine eating my own child!"  
Layton stopped for just a brief moment. Was he imagining the same thing? His face showed a bit of disgust, too, before he spoke:" Well, my boy, certainly the gods implemented things differently than us mortals.","What a scary legend though, but we humans are better, aren't we?"  
Layton chuckled drily:" The most of us, yes, but this does not apply to all members of our society."  
Luke lowered his legs again, and with red burning ears and cheeks he bashfully peeked at his mentor under his blue cap:" But you will protect me from them, won't you, professah?"  
The man fell still, struggling to form an answer, his eyes anxiously glaring out of the window and following the bypassing pines. Layton swallowed thickly, ere his head turned to his apprentice again.  
"I will", he said in a low painful seeming whisper.  
Luke didn't spend a thought about what he was doing, but rather let his body take the lead. Taking down his hat he was sliding down his seat and toddled into the professor's direction, placing his tiny blue cap next to the enormous top hat that was laying on the professor's suitcase. In contrast it looked even smaller.  
"Luke?!" Layton chocked as the little boy clambered up his seat, and turned red when he was burying his face in his chest, thin arms wrapped around Layton's waist. "I feel safer with you", he mumbled into his warm, orange sweater. Did his mentor always smelled this sweet? Faint floral vanilla? A citrusy hint of orange? "Please don't leave me…"

Hershel was overwhelmed, his head was spinning, he couldn't catch a thought.  
Uncertainly and slowly he let his hand rest on the boy's hair, caressing it gingerly. His golden, silky strands were gliding smoothly between his fingers. They were so soft, so fine, so tender, just like the rest of Luke. What a beautiful, perfect boy the heaven has gifted him, too pure, too unspoiled.  
A depraved part in Layton chased away the begging rationality, replacing them with foul and tainted ideas, with unspeakable things he could do to that boy. He couldn't. He could. No, he couldn't!  
He loved and despised the same thing. He was caught in between, with no escape.

Luke carefully pressed himself further into his mentor, as if Layton wouldn't notice this. His head was directly under the older man's one. The pleasant smell of cold night air still clinged onto the boy.  
The professor could feel how his fast heartbeat, which almost made him nauseous, hammered against the lean figure of his apprentice, wondered if he could feel it too.  
Luke was too close, Luke was too close to his middle, he should stop, he needed to stop, he-  
"When does the Capricorn appear in the story?" Luke purred, his voice sweet like honey. A calm opposition to Hershel's raging storm of thoughts.  
Layton was caught off guard. Damned be the Capricorn.  
He coughed, turning his face away from Luke, trying to calm himself:" Of course, the stars, yes, eh…"  
Layton sounded awfully hoarse, Luke thought.  
"Knowing of this curse, Zeus’ mother gave him to some sea nymphs with instructions to take  
him to a far-away place where Cronus could not find him and raise him there. However, sea nymphs cannot produce milk, and so they brought a very  
special goat, Amalthea, to nurse him."  
Luke nuzzled his face happily into the professor's thorax, a blush and a smirk creeping their way in his face. Why was he teasing poor Hershel like this.  
"As Zeus grew older, Amalthea also became his playmate. One day, Zeus was playing with  
Amalthea and broke off one of her horns. Zeus took this as a sign he was supposed to break off his relationship with Amalthea and the sea nymphs  
and go fight his father, Cronus.  
Zeus gave the horn to the sea nymphs and Amalthea, telling them that as they had provided  
for his needs, so now this horn, which was now a magic horn, would always provide all the food  
and drink they would ever need. Zeus then left them  
to go and fight Cronus, his cruel father. Zeus defeated Cronus and, according to one legend, as Cronus fell to the ground, his head split open  
and out stepped the brothers of Zeus that Cronus had swallowed."  
Luke raised his head so he was at eye level with his professor, his hands firmly pushing against  
Layton:" So in the end?"  
"Zeus was now the king of the gods and one of his first acts was to place the constellation  
Capricorn in the heavens in honor of Amalthea and the sea nymphs who had hidden and taken  
such good care of him."  
Layton could feel Luke's breath tingling on his lips.  
"What a beautiful tale, professah", the boy sighed in a high tone.  
He could produce such delicate, little sounds, Layton wondered what else he could elicit from him.  
Luke's eyes were half lidded whilst a wan smile graced his round face.  
They were so close…

"Well, would you look at the clock. It's definitely time for us to get some rest, a true gentleman always keeps up a healthy sleep schedule ", Layton said all of the sudden, grabbing Luke's slim upper body and heaved him off his seat. He merely protested, being too tired after all, but couldn't stop the whine escaping his mouth. Hershel advised him to lay down a bit, his seat having just the perfect size for a boy his stature, and it shouldn't be hard for him to get at least some hours of rest.  
It didn't take long, after Luke gathered up a few of his clothes to form a pillow, for him to finally fall asleep, being curled up into a tiny ball.

He looked at him, at his lovely little dove. Rosy, soft cheeks, big sparkling eyes and a smile and laugh that could end wars. Luke Triton was the only thing that could bring Hershel Layton Heaven and Hell on earth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, it seemed better in my head.  
> Also, please don't send me death threats, that would be neat. Those stupid stories are my way to cope, and as I already mentioned, do not read if you feel uncomfortable, triggered, etc.


	3. A night worth losing everything

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chelmey thinks Layton is one weird fucker, sweet Emmy suspects nothing and Layton and Luke share some intimate time.

A young lady, bruised from head to toe and with cut of hands was being fished out of the Thames, a case that needed to be investigated this instant. It was reported only half an hour ago, by an old woman on her balcony, that needed to witness how a strange, lanky figure of a man in the late night tried to get rid of his victim in such an awful and, by all respects, quite uncreative way.  
The trees practically glowed red and blue from the light bars of the police cars, that were hastily parked on the lawn near the river, casting long shadows behind them that melted seamless into the evening darkness and the black river itself also shimmered in this light spectacle.  
As always, Scotland Yard decided, or rather Inspector Chelmey decided, that it would be better if they would consult the most brilliant man in whole England for this case.  
Hershel Layton.

"A-and I think he was carrying her in a big, black plastic bag, hoping that no one would become suspicious!" The elderly lady explained, being questioned by the professor himself. She turned around to look at her corpse being carried away and sighed heavily: "What a poor little soul, I'm sure she still had her whole life ahead of her"  
Layton held his fingers to his chin and faced with closed eyes the ground, seemingly puzzling everything together in his head.  
"And with what you said he'd carried her here?", he asked politely with a smile, looking at the witness now.  
The lady needed to think for a bit, but she was sure it was an old silvery coloured pickup truck, with mudded wheels and sides.  
Layton began to speak again, now having all the information this day could possibly provide and thanked the lady whilst tipping his hat suavely. She was escorted away by a cop.

"Oi, Layton!" a gruff voice called over the crowd of policemen of Scotland Yard. He lifted his gaze from the crime scene, seeing how the grumpy Inspector stomped into his direction. As Chelmey slowed his pace, he stopped next to the professor: "So tell us, what did that all knowing brain of yours put together"  
"Well, I've noticed that, besides her recently added Hematomas, her body was also covered in at least one week old bruises. Remembering that her skin and hair showed symptoms of alcoholism and her having tremendous eye bags, I suppose from our current position, that she was involved in a quite abusive relationship, her murderer possibly being her boyfriend", Layton said with his usual voice, as if he hadn't just described a gruesome incident that will leave traces not only in this park but also in the minds of relatives.  
So they both stood there, surrounded by people in typical British police clothing hurrying from left to right, creating an incomprehensible sea of voices. As always, Layton was quite the help and the inspector was more proud of himself that he had ordered him here, than on Hershel who did the thinking. Chelmey looked back at the man with the top hat, thinking that something was missing. But what was it? Without what is the famous archeology professor not complete?

"Tell me, where's that little kid you always drag around with you, eh, Luke was his name. Normally you two are inseparable", he growled into his moustache.  
Hershel stayed silent for a moment, his right hand playing with the hem of his jacket and his eyes apparently searching for something in the crowd.  
He took a deep yet empty seeming breath before he spoke:" Luke will visit me tomorrow, for the next few weeks, due to the start of the summer holidays a few days ago. His mother assumed it will do him good, having someone to keep him occupied, mentally and physically."  
Chelmey warily raised an eyebrow:"But you don't seem to be so happy 'bout this. Is the boy getting on your nerves?" His mocking tone disgruntled Layton, but he didn't want to show him that.  
He rather decided to answer as politely as he could, but couldn't hide the fact that his voice came out almost choked:  
"Luke could never bother me to such an amount I'd wish he would stop visiting me. He is a vital part of my investigations and has a quick mind that he uses for good. I could not wish for a better apprentice", he blurted out.  
Either it was Chelmey's wrong impression or that man truly acted suspiciously.  
"Interesting. So, if I understand correctly, you keep a child around as an 'apprentice', do you?"

They both knew where he was going, but neither of them dared to say it out loud.

Layton lowered his hat with his left hand ever so slightly and remarked in a low voice: "I vow that this boy will not be harmed by me or anyone else as long as I am his legal guardian."  
The professor parted from him, walking away towards his Laytonmobile, that the inspector had almost overlooked, being hidden by the bigger police cars.  
The professor was a clever man, Chelmey knew and appreciated that, but he could not for the love of God shake off the feeling that Layton was burying something deep inside of him and made only a half hearted attempt to hide this. Apparently lying was something a gentleman makes a terrible job at.

\-----------------‐---------------------------------------------------------------

The sun was shining brightly, almost blindingly down onto the big white cruise ship that docked on the wharf. Waves crashed with a loud swoosh against the stone and metal in a calm rhythm and above them high up in the blue, cloudless sky the seagulls croaked and cawed in circles.  
Layton and his assistant patiently waited for Luke to be among the lines of people stepping out of the ship, Hershel leaning against his red, comic looking car with crossed arms.  
"You sure we took the right one? He really didn't say he arrives at 14 o'clock, not 13?" a lady, fully dressed in yellow and dark, curly brown hair hanging down her waist stuck her head out of the car. She had decided to take a seat, the sun was burning hot after a while, her legs dangling out of the open car door.  
"Yes, Emmy, I'm certain he said 13, because when he informed me, I was promptly reminded of a puzzle!" Layton said, smirking down at her. She was giving the exact reaction he expected her to make: Rolling her eyes and sighing dramatically.  
"On the 13th day of January 1953, four ships all left their harbour simultaneously. The first ship comes back every fourth week, the second ship ever eight week, the third every-", "Okey, yes, understood! We have the right time!", Emmy interrupted him, surrendered by his intelligence and annoyance.  
"One day I'm gonna find someone who's an even bigger smartass than you are, dear professor, and you'll look more dumbfounded than you could ever imagine!"

They both grinned at each other with superiority in their eyes when the two were disrupted by a loud and high yell across the dock. Luke was prancing like a little fawn towards them with his luggage being pulled behind him and a beaming grin crossing his adorable face the second he saw them.  
Hershel felt a sharp sting piercing his heart and his smile faltered.  
"Oi, Luke! Long time no see!" Emmy yelled back, smiling and waving an arm, while she stood up next to the professor.  
As the little boy reached them, he almost tripped over by halting so abruptly. He was jumping up and down a bit, not being able to catch a thought. He reminded them a bit of a little puppy that has just seen his owners after they went shopping for an hour. 

Emmy started the conversation: "Say how are you, was it bad overseas? Bet the tea tastes like absolute shi-", Layton coughed loudly into his fist ,"rubbish!" she corrected herself. Luke tightly gripped the handle of his suitcase, that had the same baby blue colour as the rest of his outfit, excluding his white shirt under the blue vest, his dark olive green shorts, his white knee socks and his brown shoes:" Oh, it wasn't that terrible! School made a lot of fun and my father actually took his time for me! He never did that before, I wonder why he did that…"  
Hershel remembered the letter Clark sent him.  
He knew why.  
"Sounds jolly, but we can talk more once we're driving, kay?", Emmy suggested cheerfully, sitting down again and started to fasten her seat belt.  
Now Layton and Luke were standing there.  
The boy quietly muttered in a soft voice: "It's so good to see you again, professah" but before Luke could take a step further and do anything Layton grabbed the blue baggage and carried it to the trunk of his car, advising him he should get inside and belt up. Luke stared after him, eyebrows drawn together and his mouth slightly agape. He didn't understand, what happened to the professah? Luke thought he enjoyed his company, being all helpful as the Oracle and amazing apprentice, even if self proclaimed. Did he do something to upset him?

Layton firmly grasped the leathery steering wheel, watching the road with an absent minded look.  
"He then told him, that the manticore has devoured every single virgin in the entire world, and that he'll never find his love ever again!" The professor's assistant was telling a story she once heard as a child, but still vividly remembered, turning around to be able to face Luke.  
The boy was sitting in the back of the car, arms pressed down onto the seat between his legs, holding up his upper body that was was leaning over to her, his attention fixed completely on the tale.  
"But because our hero knew who he was talking to, he also knew that the villain was a terrible liar and there actually was a way to get back his darling! So he took the double edged sword and rammed it into his chest, and because that guy lied so much, his heart could be pulled out easily trough the wound gaping just a bit open. It was all black and wrinkly, with thin hairs all over it!"  
'What kind of stories was she told when she was little', Layton pondered.  
"And fortunately, the Manticore's favourite food in the entire world were sordid hearts of old disgusting men, so he could go up to the beast, and in return for all the maiden he had stolen, he would give him this heart" she ended with a wink "and of course, this worked! Hundreds of girls had slung themselves around his neck, but he only had eyes for her.  
A beautiful young lady, with hair of honey gold, cheeks pink as peaches and big, ink black eyes, that showed more emotions than any other colour he'd known"

The boy giggled joyous, way too enchanting, as Layton thought:"She sounds lovely. But, did they come together in the end?"  
Emmy sighed, softly shaking her head and turning her gaze to the street ahead of them:" Sadly, they could never be together, a spell weighting on her. She eventually got over him in the end and found another one, a strong, big warrior of the sea, but he never recovered. He couldn't move on again. So, well, in the end, he threw himself of cliff, letting the ocean take him."  
She could see Lukes disappointed expression in the rearview mirror, but only shrugged with her shoulders.  
"Why does it always have to be something", Luke moaned frustrated, looking up at the roof of the car. "I'm sure they could have been a great couple."  
Emmy tapped with her index finger on her chin, searching in her memories:" I think this was just the censored version of it. If I remeber correctly, they were siblings in some variations of the story, not cursed. Different from country to country."  
"But what if they truly loved each other?! Then it isn't that bad, is it?"

The car rattled down it's way in it's steady pace.  
The evening sun slowly sunk further and further behind hills and buildings, turning the sky in a nice colour gradient of dark blue to a fresh salmon, whilst the clouds were chasing each other.  
Emmy found her tounge after an uncomfortable pause and a hasty glimpse to the professor, hoping he could help explaining. But the professor didn't look anywhere but the street. "Well, even if they really loved each other that much, they still shouldn't be together. It's quite dangerous, having such unhealthy relationships and it is also just the best", she said, lifting her hand to cover her eyes form the orange light "for both of them", she ended.

As they finally arrived, the sun had set completely and the endless night ruled the land now.  
They stumbled into Layton's flat, it being a bit messy as always, but not as much as how it looked like before Rosa had cleaned up.  
All of them were tired and in the need of some rest.  
Teeth brushed, hair combed, nightgown put on.

The lights were out and the only luminosity that could be found was the moonlight, gleaming through the window. In it's light, little dust particles danced quietly, like they were trying to imitate soft snow falling down onto the white ground.  
But they were soon disturbed and swirled apart by a dark figure, pacing nervously trough the office.  
He couldn't sleep. His mind kept him awake.  
Why was he like that. Why. What did he do that. Why was, since the first time he had seen that little boy opening up to him a year ago, his heart and mind being torn in half. Everything in him begged him to stop. To stop touching him in the most innocent way, to stop speaking with him in the most innocent way, to stop even looking at him in the most innocent way. But no matter what he would do, he couldn't stop himself.  
There was no other feeling that could be compared to the one he got, everytime he made that little boy smile. It is like he breathed his soul just a tad bit of life in, sweet and ever so faintly. Like a rose rising again after the cold and bitter winter.  
Even if that meant he could live again, the boy surely could not. He would ruin him. He couldn't do this, why was he like this. Why. What did he-  
"You've been doing this for the last few minutes now", the boy stood by the wooden door frame, clinging onto it. "Are you alright?"  
Layton felt cornered, trapped like a weak mouse by a cat, even if it was him who was the predator in this scenario.  
He found his voice, but it came out raspier than he expected:" I am-I'm fine. You should rather go back to bed now, it is late midnight after all"  
The man whispered, not wanting to wake Emmy up, while he was sitting down on his orange couch, that fitted to his sweater which he still hadn't taken off, along with the rest of his clothing he wore all day.

Luke waited for a moment. He didn't move, didn't speak.  
In moments like this the silence was deafening, smothering every bit of life.  
"You are not fine", Luke mumbled as he slowly walked towards Hershel.  
His mind was crying, raging, entreating him to do something, anything!  
But his body was heavy. He felt like he was made out of cold, numb iron.  
The boy climbed into his lap, his legs straddling over Hershel's.  
"You are not fine", Luke repeated, trying to sound more stern, but still kept his tender voice,"please, tell me what's wrong."

If Hershel did this now, he would lose more than he'd known he had.

"I am… quite fond of you", he muttered dark.

… 

He lost.

Luke silently waited for him to say more, his tiny hands fondling the orange sweater over his stomach.  
"Very fond of you…"  
His hands wandered up to Layton's jaw, caressing it gently, as he gazed into his professor's eyes.  
Luke's eyes were large and ink black, a colour that showed more emotions than any other colour Hershel had ever known.  
"You are…" his breath ghosted over Hershel's lips, their faces being only parted by a few centimetres.

He should stop...

"…in love with you."  
Their lips met, melting together like they always belonged too. The boy's lips were so delicate and tender, soothing the wounds in his soul like nothing else could.  
Hershel draped his arms around the thin waist of his apprentice, pressing him further into himself, until their bodies let no space between them.  
Layton broke the kiss just for a moment for them to breath, whispering 'I love you'.  
Small hands were fiddling with Layton's belt, that was quickly pulled off, falling dull on the couch.  
The man knew where this was going.  
They both knew.  
But neither of them wanted to stop.

He carefully grabbed his half hard member, stroking it slightly in slow and long lasting thrusts.  
Hershel breathed heavily, his mind bursted into complete chaos yet was put on hold for just this moment:"Should I ask you were you learned this?"  
'Mh-mh', the boy returned. "My father wouldn't be happy to hear this."  
"Certainly, he won't be happy to hear this either."

Luke halted for a few seconds. "He wouldn't be, not won't, because he will never know", he corrected.  
Layton bit his lip.  
"I couldn't… I can't hide this forever, I know what's appropriate and what's not, I solely cannot-"  
Luke silenced him with a kiss, before he spoke:" We can. Nobody needs to know. We can stay like this forever."  
His movements started to quicken, slick precum pearled on his tip.  
"You could have me anytime. I love you, professah, I would never refuse you. You could have me on a rainy night in your car, the windows getting all fogged, you could have me in one of your lecture rooms at the university, bend over your desk…"  
Vivid images swirled through Layton's mind, his lower abdomen getting hotter and stiffer, his arms clutched even stronger onto the boy.  
"… you could have me even here on your couch. You could ruthlessly ram into me, while I moan 'professah' over and over again and rut into your jacket under me."  
Hershel's breath became shorter.  
"Because that it what you love. You love being admired by everyone because of your intelligence, your cleverness, you love being on top of everyone else. No one is smarter than you"  
He was close.  
"And that's why I will always love you…", Luke leaned forward to moan into his ear "Professah…"

Thick, white spurts covered the blue nightgown of the little boy while Layton groaned into the crook of Luke's neck, his hoarse, deep voice dripping with lust.  
Lukes fingers were now all sticky and covered in Hershel's release. He always wanted to taste it, was that a weird thought to have?  
Liking his fingers clean, Layton rose up again, panting and exhausted. "You need to tease me like this after what we just did?"  
The boy hummed around his thumb. He was disappointed in the taste, but the memory made it ever so sweet.

This night was worth losing everything he ever had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, that was weird. I actually wanted to stop at the lap sitting part, but a tiny part of me said' ngah, fuck it, you lost anyway so why dont you just spit on it a bit' so yeah here we are.  
> "Interesting. So, if I understand correctly, you keep a child around as an 'apprentice', do you?"was what inspired this chapter. Chelmey said this at one point in the games, and you can be sure that stuff like this wont get away without getting turned into a fanfic. I still wonder why they put that into the game.  
> Ok,,now  
> It's like,,,,,, oh, it's exactly 3am. I cant remember the last night I had more than 5 hours of sleep. Ok I'm babbling nonsense, Goodnight
> 
> Edit: The only thing Layton answered to Chelmy in the game (Diabolical box) was:"Not at all, sir. In truth he's-" and gets then interrupted by Luke, proudly stating that he is only the professor's apprentice, as he said before. Layton keeps a blank expression, his text box showing a small:"Hmm..." and Chelmey continues  
> with:" Well, it's really none of my concern"


	4. Game over. Restart?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The beginning of Curious Village but Luke is an over-excited teenager and Layton is close to losing it. Couldn't he just leave him alone...

The Laytonmobile chugged down the dirt road, its faint headlights illuminating the dusty way. Everything out of the feeble light cone was swallowed by darkness with only the glooming silhouettes of tall trees and hills lurking in the shadows.  
The car could be heard from afar, its crunching of tiny stones under the wheels overtoning the weak breath of fresh night air ghosting over the land.  
They were making their way to Saint Mystère, a little village located midst an idyllic countryside. A middle-aged woman commissioned them to solve to problem, or rather mystery of her deceased husband.  
The puzzle-enthusiastic Professor couldn't bear to decline such request, Luke figured after being by his side for three years now. So here they were.

"We couldn't have used the train, could we?", the boy asked whilst looking up at the roof of the car, fidgeting in his leathery seat he was sitting in for hours now. He never liked the Laytonmobile. Not only it looked like it belonged to a clown, but it was never meant for travels longer than a single hour without causing aching bones and muscles. How did the professor survive so long with this car?  
Layton chuckled quietly, his eyes fixed on the road: "My boy, I am certain there is no train that would forthright end near Saint Mystère, or even end in the vicinity of it. There was no further option but to drive by ourselves."  
"But why did we need to start right after we got the letter? Couldn't we have at least waited until it's morning?"  
Layton tipped his top hat slightly, a gestic he probably wasn't even aware of doing:" Now, now, Luke, a gentleman never keeps a lady in need waiting."  
His hand wandered back to the steering wheel, gripped it gently whilst letting his thumb draw small circles over it.  
"And if you are afraid of spending the night in my trusty car I can assure you this won't be the case. Lady Dahlia informed me that there will be a comely, little guesthouse which is at our service."

Their trip was way too long and way too tedious, Luke had decided. If they were trapped in this torture device that called itself car for who knows how long, then he should make it a little more exciting.  
"The night surely will be boring", he sighed, turning his head to the professor.  
Hershel was eying him with a curious look, but was shortly after sure this was just a rebellious kid to teenage thing, the boy was 13 after all:"Well, you could take a rest and sleep, like nearly every other person would. The night is ultimately there to grant those who are fully occupied during the day just a moment to recuperate"  
Luke wet his lips with just a short lick of his tongue, gambling with the words in his mind:" Or we could do something else", he suggested in an alluring tone, his voice still as sweet as on the day they met first.  
Layton didn't seem to have heard him. Or maybe he was ignoring him on purpose.  
"I can imagine their beds are all soft and bouncy, it would be the greatest pleasure for you to plough me into one of 'em", Luke purred, a cheeky smile graced his rosy cheeks.

The older has long given up to get rid of Luke's unhealthy infatuation with the professor.  
It has reached its peak not long ago, the mere harbinger of puberty slowly showing themselves.  
It all started when he, Emmy and Luke were once sitting in a cafe in Misthallery, talking about Clark, when Luke admitted coyly that 'he feels safer around the professah than his father'. Back then Layton should have seen the bright red flags waving high over Lukes words, but something in him told him it would be fine. It was way too unlikely and he would hurt the boy without an appropriate reason.  
In the aftermath, it was impressive how easily he could turn down the shrill tocsins in his mind.  
But now, it was a dangerous game he was playing, and Hershel was not ready to lose his head for it.  
Maybe he should have never met this child in the first place.

"Even you know it would be far too hazardous for us to do such thing in a place where we could have possible witnesses", Layton admonished him, his voice seemed cold and stiff compared to earlier.  
"But professah, if not you who else? I don't wanna lose my virginity to some random bloke."  
Lukes hand reached for the mans belt, but a strong iron grip caught it ere it could go further.

"Don't", Hershel said sharp.

"Please don't...", he said, more defeated, and his grip softened. 

He let go and his hand wandered back to the cold steering wheel and Luke's went back in his lap.

A heavy silence weighed down onto them, it felt even hard to breathe.  
Luke didn't understand. He could clearly see the professor wanted it, badly. He sometimes caught him plunging in his office, whispering things to himself about Luke, what he saw in him, what he felt for him. And Luke wanted it too!  
The adults always talked about either business or love, and he surely wasn't interested in the first one.  
And when they talked about love, there was always sex involved.  
So having sex must be one of the greatest things in the world, and doing it with a person you deeply love must be even better!

…unless the professah didn't love him as much as Luke loved the professah.  
It hurt.  
Luke couldn't really describe the feeling, but it hurt, hurt like his heart was filled with heavy, burning acid, dripping down onto his organs, decomposing him from the inside, piece by piece, and with every drip, he got weaker and felt like he was drowning.

The Laytonmobile came to halt next to a pulled up drawbridge, surrounded by a dark gently rippling moat.  
As they got out of the car, a cool breeze embraced them, rustling the leaves of the trees that formed a wall just behind them. Luke slung his arms around himself, shivering as the chill draught drained the warmth from his face, hands and in thin-socks covered calves.  
'It's so cold, so, so cold, oh boy, I'm gonna fr-' but ere his thoughts continued, a warm and heavy jacket was draped over his shoulders.  
"I'm certain someone will let us in eventually", the professor mumbled, his hands adjusting the cloth that was way too wide for Luke, hanging down almost to his shoes. Luke couldn't but wonder how he never noticed how big and warm his hands were, how gentle his fingers and how soft his palms were.  
He would like those hands to roam over his body- no, desperately needed those strong hands to explore every inch of skin he had, sending sparks of pleasure through him, legs jolting, thighs trembling, an agape mouth puffing and drooling, half lidden eyes turned up, shakingly staring up at the ceiling, only to have the professor manifesting in his vision whispering:" Luke, I spoke to the night guard, he let down the bridge for us. Luke?"

Snapping back to reality, he shook his head, blinking in perplexity like a newborn lamb.  
"O-of cour-yes, professah!" He blurted out, only remembering half of what Layton said. Were they let in?  
Yes, yes indeed. The wooden drawbridge offered them entrance to this curious looking village, Luke could barely make something out in the dark. Dirty beige, orange and brown coloured houses in all kind of shapes sprouted out of the ground, guarding almost sinisterly the path that led through the rustic looking town, some windows throwing bright, amber coloured lights on the dark cobblestone.  
But what caught most of his attention was-  
"A giant, eerie looking and quiet disproportionate tower keeps watch over your pretty village?", Layton asked the gatekeeper.  
The man was more disproportionate than the tower, Luke thought, the stranger braying about how Lady Dahlia had given him the responsibility to stay up this late to welcome them, him eventually having better things to do than 'looking out for some fancy looking fellows', his giant chin and tiny red cap wobbling and jumping in rhythm:" Ah, ye, the ol' tower. If I were you I wouldn't even think abou' it!"  
"Pardon?"  
Luckily ,or not, Layton was as confused as Luke, him finally paying full attention after letting his mind drift off too far.  
The stouty man reached for his cap to wring it in his strong hands. He was nervous, even if he didn't let his face show this.  
"Scary noises comin' from that thing twenty four seven, I tell ya. Not just those cranky creaks of tatty machinery, no, I know that from my good lady here", he patted the mechanism he used for the  
bridge," those are screams of horror we hear ev'ry day n' ev'ry night!" The man looked up at the building that gloomy hovered over the village, blocking out the moon.  
He bit his lip, drawing his eyebrows together:" Wouldn't be surprised if they would torture the freaks and lunatics of us to death there, gettin' less and less ev'ry day anyways…"

Not the professor nor his apprentice could understand what he meant by that. Well, they understood, but they couldn't fathom anything of what he said.  
Layton cleared his throat, communicating for both of them:" So, what you are trying to tell us, is that we were ordered here to investigate the case of citizens that mysteriously get missing, dare to say kidnapped?"  
Luke hid behind his mentor, peeking out behind his arms, only half of him could be seen. He wasn't scared or anything, he wasn't a child anymore, after all! It was just better to be careful.

The bulky man spoke again, but his voice sounded more drained and weaker than earlier, like someone who realises he lost the argument and finally surrenders:" You should go to Lady Dahlia for more info, won't get anymore outta me. But she'll probably be asleep by now… just go straight down this way and you'll see a lill' guesthouse to ya' left, it's open all the time, owner of it really needs the cash."

Layton tipped his hat goodbye, the man did the same with his cap, now on his head again and Luke wordlessly followed the professor, until they were out of hearing range.  
"Do you think there's someone in this village who kidnaps people and brutally murders them, professah?", the boy asked cautiously, not wanting to raise his voice too much. He pulled the jacket tighter around his shoulder and let his face being almost masked completely by the big collar of it.  
The older man walked steadily with his gaze in front of him. He answered, but didn't bother to look at Luke. His face seemed as worried as Luke felt:" Well, I cannot say this for sure, but it certainly could be the case that Lady Dahlia requested our help due to the infestation of a murderer. Nonetheless, we will provide any help that stands in our power, as this is the duty of every gentleman."  
Layton halted and looked down at him, and unexpectedly a rather unimpressed or even bored look plastered his face:" At least these current events prevent you from spending more thoughts on your goal to get into my pants"  
Luke was caught off guard. He didn't expect the professor to say something so blunt, at least for his standard.

"Well, I don't know if I can sleep tonight, those things scared me so very much", he chirped sweetly, his mood completely switched, grabbing the left arm of the professor and pressing it against his body. "Can't I snuggle up next to you? I don't have my teddy with me, so who else will comfort me in the middle of a deep, dark night?"

Laytons silence spoke louder than words. 

His eyebrows were slanted inward, his eyelids fluttered in disbelief and he turned his head away, sighing exhausted:" When will you stop doing this to me…"  
"Never!", Luke giggled, face burrowed in his arm, a big grin crossing his face.

For Luke, this was all fun and games, but for Layton... he felt like he anticipated in a never-ending round of Russian Roulette with only one empty chamber.

The gatekeeper didn't lie, the inn was easy to find, being one of the first buildings that greeted them.  
As they pushed the wooden door open and stepped inside, a corpulent woman in a salmon coloured blouse and a shining pearl necklace greeted them, perking up behind a reception desk: "Oh, hello there, care to check in for a night or two?"  
She fondled with a drawer down to her left and pulled out a thin book and pen.  
"Thank you, yes. We will be spending the next time here in this charming village, so a few nights would be the case. A week, perhaps?", the professor smiled at her, being grateful that not everyone seems to be so rude like the guy they met earlier.  
The receptionist scribbled into the book, forcefully stomping down a blue stamp onto one of its pages and reached behind her for a key, dangling lonely on an empty key holder.  
"There you go. Bathroom and bedroom adjoin the living room, one shower, one toilet, one double bed and one TV, channels are all available and the price is included in the invoice. Breakfast's at 7, dinner at 16, no pets and no smoking", she handed Layton the key.  
Layton blinked for a second, needing to process everything he had heard, before asking with a wary smile: "Say, you do not have a room with separated beds, do you?"  
She halted, looking at him questioning, ere she started to cackle without holding herself back, not minding that other people are asleep by now:" Ahahehe, hah, no, don't get all flustered! We're not like those philistines from the big cities, don't snap our necks 'cause we turned our heads so fast around because we smelled something to gossip 'bout. We don't think it's weird or disgusting in any way to sleep in the same bed as your son, don't you worry at all!"

Layton chuckled nervously, tipping his top hat and swallowed dryly, whilst Luke's eyes shot up to him and a cheeky smile spread from ear to ear. 

Why does the boy always win…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's really bad, but because I'm a self-centred bitch, I will post it anyways. I just wanna post it so it doesn't get lost forever when I delete it off my phone.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm terribly sorry if this sounds like a bunch of nonsense, I just,,,,,,, English ain't my first language, bro, I'm not the best at writing either. Also, yes, I'm disgusting, have been told that already, I'm ruining your favs, I know that too, but please have mercy, im just vibing. Also it's like, 4am and I haven't slept in years so


End file.
